[From the Scene] College students hold joint rally to urge Yoon’s impeachment

On a cold Friday evening, university students filled the streets of Sinchon in Seodaemun-gu, western Seoul, urging for the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and the severe punishment of those involved in his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. At around 6 p.m., the streets of Yonseiro in Sinchon, generally filled with busking performances by young performers at this hour, began to swell with students instead, who held signs reading “Yoon Suk Yeol, step down immediately&rdq

Dec. 13, 2024

S. Korea reports new avian influenza case at regional farm

South Korea has confirmed its 10th case of highly pathogenic avian influenza for the season at a regional farm, authorities said Friday. The latest case was detected at a duck farm in Buan, North Jeolla Province, some 204 kilometers south of Seoul, where 22,000 ducks were being raised, according to the authorities. To prevent further spread, officials are currently controlling access to the farm to carry out investigations, while culling the affected ducks. They will also conduct thorough inspec

Dec. 13, 2024

Small minority of young 'shy Yoon supporters' emerge in Korea's polarized politics

While the majority of Korean millennials and Generation Z rallying at protests are demanding President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, a small minority of young Koreans are anonymously voicing support for his controversial martial law declaration online -- revealing the entrenched polarization in Korean politics. The divide is evident across university campuses. Student councils at 38 universities nationwide, including Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University, issued a

Dec. 13, 2024

Police chiefs face pretrial hearing over rebellion, insurrection allegations

Korean National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Chief Kim Bong-sik were to face pretrial hearings Friday afternoon for alleged violations of the Constitution over allegations of rebellion and insurrection. According to the Seoul Central District Court, the pretrial hearings for the two police chiefs were to be held at 3 p.m., a day after police filed arrest warrants for both Cho and Kim for violations of the Criminal Act concerning insurrection-related d

Dec. 13, 2024

Websites help protesters find prepaid meals, drinks, bathrooms

As thousands of protesters gather to demand President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, dedicated websites are popping up with information on where to find rest areas, bathrooms and even meals paid for by supporters in the general public. An anonymously created website called "Siwido Bapmeokgo (Torch Map)," whose name translates to "Eat First, Then Protest,” shows eateries and cafes near the protest sites where citizens hav

Dec. 13, 2024

Records related to Itaewon tragedy, Marine's death to be preserved

The National Archives ordered the preservation of investigative records related to the 2022 deadly crowd crush in Itaewon and the 2023 death of a Marine during a search and rescue mission, the state body said Friday. Under the order, records for the ongoing investigation concerning the deceased Marine corporal shall be preserved for the next five years. Article 27-3 of the Public Records Management Act states that the head of the state archives body can order a record to be preserved if deemed n

Dec. 13, 2024

Courts condemn arrest order for judge as threat to judicial independence

South Korea’s judiciary on Friday criticized the revelation that a sitting judge was reportedly included on a list of individuals whose location was to be tracked for potential arrest during martial law operations on Dec. 3. Describing it as a "serious violation of judicial independence," both the Supreme Court and the Seoul Central District Court issued statements Friday condemning the action as a threat to the rule of law. A local media outlet, the JoongAng Ilbo, reported Frida

Dec. 13, 2024

Protesters in standoff with police near Yoon's residence

Protesters calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment were in a standoff with police outside the presidential residence in Seoul on Thursday. Around 1,000 protesters marched to the residence's entrance in Hannam-dong and shouted slogans, such as "Arrest insurrection ringleader Yoon Suk Yeol," as of 5:40 p.m. in defiance of police warnings. Yoon has been accused of staging an insurrection through his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3. The protesters, inclu

Dec. 12, 2024

National Election Commission refutes Yoon’s accusation

The National Election Commission on Thursday blasted President Yoon Suk Yeol’s accusation against the election management system earlier in the day, denouncing his claim as a “self-denial” of the very election system that led him to become president. In a televised public address, Yoon cited disbelief of the NEC as one of the reasons for declaring martial law last week. "Allegations of election fraud based on strong suspicion is equivalent to a self-denial of the very elec

Dec. 12, 2024

From protest songs to K-pop, generations unite through ‘protest playlist’

Nationwide protests calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment have brought a notable change from previous demonstrations: a connection across generations through music. Recent protests have seen a wide range of music transcending generational boundaries. Shared through platforms like YouTube and X, the so-called "protest playlist" includes everything from K-pop hits beloved by younger Koreans, to traditional protest songs that were the anthems of the democratization moveme

Dec. 12, 2024

What motivated martial law? Yoon's own words

President Yoon Suk Yeol, facing an imminent second impeachment vote and prosecution on charges of insurrection, defended his controversial Dec. 3 martial law declaration in a nationally televised speech Thursday. Yoon said the declaration was intended to fail, portraying it as a symbolic move to expose what he called a “state of governmental paralysis” caused by the opposition. The president's justification appears to be part of an effort to counter impeachment proceedings and d

Dec. 12, 2024

Bus for kids, food truck reserved to keep protesters warm

In a gesture to support rallies against President Yoon Suk Yeol, slated to be held this weekend, Koreans here and abroad have arranged rest areas for families and other participants. On Tuesday, a mom raising a 16-month-old baby in Seoul posted on social media platform X that she had reserved a 15-passenger bus for a planned protest in Yeouido, Seoul. Large crowds of protesters are expected to gather near the National Assembly in that area, where the lawmakers are to hold a vote to impeach Presi

Dec. 12, 2024

Police chief says Yoon ordered control of 10 locations before martial law

Korean National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho confessed that he was told by President Yoon Suk Yeol in person to send personnel to 10 locations three hours before the declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, according to the police's special investigation team. During the police investigation, Cho testified that he was told to come into a presidential safe house and was handed a one-page document by Yoon. The document, according to Cho, listed key locations that would require police per

Dec. 12, 2024

Yoon’s delegation of his power to PM could violate Constitution: Supreme Court

South Korea’s Supreme Court views that President Yoon Suk Yeol delegating his constitutional power to prime minister or other Cabinet members may violate the Constitution, according to the statement obtained by the main opposition party lawmaker. According to the response from the Supreme Court obtained by Rep. Back Hye-ryeon of the Democratic Party of Korea, the country’s highest judicial instance saw “delegating powers to the prime minister or others in a way that only nomina

Dec. 12, 2024

Prosecution summons health minister in martial law probe

The prosecution said Thursday that it summoned Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong for questioning about the circumstances in which an emergency Cabinet meeting was convened just before President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, and about what Cabinet ministers discussed in the meeting. The health minister was the first among the 11 members who were present at the meeting to be summoned by the prosecution. The prosecution sought to establish when Cho became aware of issues related to the emergency

Dec. 12, 2024

Joint investigation team on Yoon launched

A joint investigative body was formed on Wednesday to investigate President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived declaration of martial law, amid concerns over overlapping investigations into the high-profile case that deals with allegations of insurrection of a sitting president. The Korean National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation said it would work together with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the Defense Ministry "to leverage the stren

Dec. 11, 2024

Lee Seung-hwan to perform Friday at pro-impeachment rally in Seoul

Singer Lee Seung-hwan and his band will perform near the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Friday, during a rally demanding the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, the artist announced Tuesday. Lee, via Instagram, shared his setlist, featuring his hit songs "Dunk Shoot," "As Much as the Love Spread in the World," "God of Money," "Do You Love," "I Ask" and "Superhero." Lyrics for some of the songs will be adjusted to suit the o

Dec. 11, 2024

[From the Scene] Seoul Library hosts vibrant festival to celebrate Han Kang’s win

On Tuesday afternoon, the typically tranquil atmosphere of the Seoul Metropolitan Library was transformed into an exuberant celebration. The library’s quiet reading rooms came alive with jazz music and animated discussions as bibliophiles gathered for the Novel Literature Festival Seoul 2024 in honor of author Han Kang. The festival, organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Korean Publishers Association, was a joyous celebration of Han Kang, who made history as the first Sout

Dec. 11, 2024

Seoul mayor assures 'Seoul is safe'

Amid growing concerns over escalating political and social turmoil following President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief declaration of emergency martial law last week, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Wednesday that "Seoul is safe" and urged tourists to return, vowing to undertake efforts to ensure the safety of travelers. In a meeting held by Oh at Seoul City Hall, the mayor spoke with key stakeholders in the tourism sector, including representatives from the Seoul Tourism Organization, Korea As

Dec. 11, 2024

Ex-defense minister attempts suicide in custody

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is currently being detained at a facility in Seoul on alleged collusion with President Yoon Suk Yeol in imposing martial law last week, attempted to take his own life late Tuesday night, a correctional official said Wednesday. Shin Yong-hae, commissioner general of the Korea Correctional Service under the Justice Ministry, said Kim was discovered during the attempt. “At approximately 11:52 p.m. an officer discovered Kim attempting suicide in the r

Dec. 11, 2024